


Tangled Up

by Joycee



Category: White Collar
Genre: M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-04-26 14:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5007547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joycee/pseuds/Joycee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal keeps telling Peter everything he is not, but what is he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangled Up

\--Neal lay on a stretcher in the Emergency Deprtment after being shot by the criminal the White Collar team had just taken down in a sting operation. It wasn't supposed to have been violent, but a last minute exposure of Neal's carefully constructed cover had caused everything to fall apart at the last minute. Only Neal's quick thinking and heroic action, combined with Peter's armed intervention, had saved him from being killed while still salvaging the arrest. 

As he lay there in pain, he listened impatiently while Peter lectured him yet again about how he shouldn't take foolish, unnecessary risks. Neal grimaced and turned his face toward the wall. When Peter insisted, "Look at me, Neal," he angrily protested, _"You're not my father,_ Peter!"

\--Neal couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. He was having nightmares. He kept reliving his latest close brush with death at the hands of a reckless and desperate gunman. He was tired of Peter telling him to "Cowboy up." It wasn't Peter's life that seemed to get threatened in every operation. So when Peter threw a casual arm around his shoulder and suggested that all Neal really needed to do was relax and get out more, Neal told him, _"You are not my big brother!"_

\--Peter found out that Neal was doing some consulting work outside of the FBI and he was furious. He asked Neal, "How do you think you can manage another job? When are you going to find time? What if I need you?" Neal tried to explain that it was only one job as a favor to a friend of June's, but Peter insisted, "You belong to me." Neal retorted, "Peter, _you are not my owner!"_

\--Neal just wanted to spend a little time alone. He was sick of everyone always suspecting him of something, especially Peter. He was tired of making himself available any time anyone called or showed up at his door, especially Peter. He felt he had earned a little trust and some time to call his own. After a grueling week of surveillance and undercover work, all Neal wanted to do was go home and sleep. He didn't want to return to work until Monday morning after he'd had time to rest and refresh himself. 

Peter had been nothing but demanding and critical all week, but now that the case was resolved, he suggested, "Neal, why don't we go out and get a beer before we head home?" Neal demurred, "I just really want to go home. I'm exhausted, Peter." Peter protested, "Come on, let's relax together and celebrate our win." Neal exclaimed in frustration, _"You are not my friend!"_

\--Peter folded his arms and gave Neal a stern warning not to go outside the radius of his anklet over the weekend. Neal grumbled, "Don't you think I know that? Why do you always have to repeat that?"

Peter frowned and reminded him, "Because occasionally you seem to forget it. That's why." Neal shrugged and Peter asked, "So what are you going to do for the next two days since we don't have work?" Neal shrugged again and Peter decided, "I think you'd better come over to my house so I can keep you out of trouble."

Neal protested vehemently, "No, Peter. _You are not my keeper!"_

\--Neal wasn't especially good at remembering all the arcane acronyms used by the FBI, probably because he wasn't that interested. Peter had corrected Neal three times in one day while they completed paperwork replete with meaningless bureaucratic initials. Neal was frustrated when Peter instructed him to study up on the terminology in front of the entire team. Neal's resentment surfaced as he muttered, "Peter, _you're not my teacher!"_

\--At lunchtime, Peter guided Neal to the elevator with his hand firmly on the small of Neal's back. When they reached their familiar deli, Peter opened the door and held it for Neal. He suggested, "Why don't you go get us a table and I'll order for us."

As they ate, Peter reached across the table, smiling affectionately, to wipe a bit of mustard off Neal's chin. Neal was talking about making plans with Sara for the weekend and Peter kept raising minor objections. Finally Neal looked up at him and smiled coquettishly. He said, "Peter, I think you're jealous. _You're not my boyfriend,_ you know!"

\--Back at the office, Peter continue to tease Neal about Sara. Neal goodnaturedly put up with it for awhile, not saying much in response. He wasn't all that serious about Sara anyway. Not like Kate. After awhile, though, Peter's jabs began to irritate him. When Peter predicted, "I just don't see you and Sara settling down and having a couple of kids, going to teacher conferences and Little League games," he hit a sore spot.

Neal responded irritably, "Come on, Peter. _You are not a fortune teller!"_

\--When they both became frustrated trying to solve a complicated mortgage fraud case, Peter pressed Neal to try harder to come up with a breakthrough. Neal moaned, "This is making me feel so stupid. I just can't get a handle on it. There's something we're missing here."

Peter smiled indulgently and teased, "I'd never say you were stupid. Maybe a little slow sometimes..." Neal laughed and parried, "Well, I don't see you coming up with the answer either. _You're not exactly a genius_ yourself!"

\--Peter was irritable and he was picking at Neal, criticizing and complaining about every little thing he did. Neal tried not to take it seriously and to just shrug it off, but eventually it started to get to him. When they got back to Neal's apartment after work, Peter complained, "Neal, what is it with you? Lately you've just been making a lot of little mistakes. I need you to get your head in the game."

Neal retorted hotly, "Peter, could you please stop nitpicking? You know _you're not perfect!"_

\--Peter stopped and looked seriously into Neal's eyes. He put his hand up to cup Neal's cheek and said softly, "Neal, you keep telling me what I'm not. Now maybe you can tell me what I am."

Neal sighed and looked away for a moment. When he returned to face Peter, his blue eyes burned intensely as he confessed, _"You are like a father and a big brother to me. You are my teacher and my keeper. You're a genius and a fortune teller. You are my best friend and my lover - and you're perfect to me."_

Peter's eyes welled up as he took hold of Neal's hands and told him sincerely, "And _you are the most brilliant and beautiful man I've ever known. You are everything to me_ and I love you. Never forget that and don't ever let me forget it."

**Author's Note:**

> Peter Burke and Neal Caffrey are characters created by Jeff Eastin for the White Collar series on USA TV (currently available on Netfiix & Amazon).


End file.
